After you've had your din-din and before you close your eyes to sleep make sure you take a moment tonight to check out tonight's appearance of the 'Supermoon.' That is the layman's term for the moment when a moon turns full just as it reaches the perigee (the point in the orbit closest to the Earth). It is also a Harvest moon (and the third-and some say 'best' supermoon of the summer).
At the moment it becomes super the moon will be 31,000 miles closer to the Earth than when it is at its furthest point away, and it is going to look spectacular.
The first supermoon of the year was on July 12 and the second was about a month later on August 10. Our September 8 visitor will turn fullest at 6:38pm, which is the best time to view the moon tonight if you plan to try to catch it. But even if you miss it tonight, the moon will continue to appear larger than usual for the next few nights as it is still in the orbit closest to the earth.
Due to the moon's orbital tilt it will rise at about the same time the sun will set for a few days after today. Normally a full moon would rises at sunset but all other days are either before or after, falling later and later on each subsequent day.
This Monday's supermoon also happens to be the Harvest moon, so named because it is a full moon closest to the fall equinox. Traditionally it is called the 'Harvest Moon' because it signifies to farmers that winter is coming and on this night-when there's just a little extra light-they should gather the rest of their crops.
Posted by Unknown on Monday, September 8, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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